Tray



Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

LJN-ETE@ STATES.

rArEur OFFICE.

GUSTAF H. ANDERSON, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR lT0 THE HART &

HUTCHINSON COMPANY, 0F NEW BRITAIN,

CONNECTICUT.

TRAY.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUsTAr H. ANDE'RsoN, a subject of the King of Sweden, residing at New Britain, Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Tray, of which the following is a specitication.

rIhis invention relates to new and useful improvements in trays designed to stack one upon the other. Such trays are used tor ya# rious purposes, for example, for support-ing articles to be dried. Frequently such articles are quite heavy, and it is therefore iinporta-nt that the tray, while being constructed as lightly as possible, should have the maximum supporting strength.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown the invention in only one preferred form, it being apparent, as will later appear, that changes in construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Fig. l is a perspective view oi one end of three trays arranged one upon the other and all supported upon a common skid or platform;

Fig. 2 is a central section through the' center of two of the trays Jfrom the front to the rear, the middle portion of said trays being broken away.

1 represents a suitable platform, or socalled slridf upon which the trays are mounted. As each of the trays shown in the drawings corresponds in construction, it will be necessary to describe only one of the saine, and Jfor that purpose I will describe the uppermost tray shown in Figs. l and 2. 2 represents the main body of the tray upon which the articles to be supported are placed. The opposite side edges of the tray are bent downwardly and inwardly, as indicated, respectively, at 3-3a- These side edges are again bent outwardly on a substantiallyv horizontal plane, as indicated at 4.-4, and the outer edges are then bent downwardly, as indicated at 5-5. This bending process forms, in effect, a Z-shaped portion at each side edge, with two depending side iianges represented by the parts 5-5 These depending tlanges 5-5a are spaced wide enough apart so that they will receive between them the main body portion of an ad- `mum of weight without buckling or binding.

`iacent tray and so that they will hold the several trays in proper alined relation, as clearly sho-wn in the drawings.

The tray thus formed may be produced from a single sheet of wrought metal, and

obviously may be made of single thicknessthroughouuor, if desired, the Z-shaped por-y tions or depending side flanges 5--513 or both, may be made ot double thickness by. folding the meta-l back uponA itself, as shown in the drawing.

The front and rear edges of the main body of each tray may be provided with ltolds G-a to stiiien said body from edge to edge, thereby increasing its load capacity. These tl anges 6 6al may fold on the upper or under surface of each tray body. l

As the. trays are loaded they arevplaced on top of one another, so as to form a stack. Manifestly, as the loaded trays are piled one upon another, the load on the lower trays becomes heavier and heavier, which, unless the construction is well designed, will tend to cause the lower tray or trays to buckle or crush. My improved construction, by reason of the peculiar formation of the sides, is such as' to eiiectively withstand a maxig, crushing CONNECTICUT, A. CORPORATION OF Obviously, the trays may be nested either side up, so that either side may constitute the top. t

While I have shown the invention inl its preferred form, I have already indicated that various changes vmay be lmade from the construction specilically i shown and def scribed, without departure from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What I claim is: y

1.y tray comprising a substantially flat body portion, Z-shaped spacing and supporting portions at the opposite side edges of said body portion. oli'set 'alining portions at the outer edges of the Z-shaped portions, the space between the alining portions being slightly greater than the width of the body portion.

2. A tray comprising a substantially ilat body portion, Z-shaped spacing and supporting portions at the opposite side edges of said body portion, offset alining portions at the outer` edges of the Z-shaped lportions, the space between the alining p0r- 'tions at the outer edges of the Z-shaped portions, the space. between the alining portions being slightly greater than the Widtlr f of the body portion, and transverse reinfor'oin'gfineans forl'sad-'body portion, formen by old'satth'efrontfandrear edge of said body portion.:

tray?.` comprisiirgla substantially vfiat body i,poi-tion;*.Zeshaped spacing: and sup# porti-ngpo'rtions at theoppositeside edgesv o'ffsaidibody portion, offsetalining'portions atv the'vv outer! edges-"f of the: Zlshape'd porLA tions; ,the spae'e` between the alining por-j tionsbeing slightlyvgreater than the' width' of the body portion, the Z-shapedsupportinglporti'onslbeing of.- double thickness.

5. A tray'coniprising a substantially fiat body portion, Zeshaped spacing and supporting portions at theoppositeside edges f of said body portion, osetalininfg port-ions at the outer edges of the Z-shaped portions,

the space between the alining vportionsbeing slightly greaterthan the. width of" the `body portion, and transverse reinforcing means for said body portion; said- Zishaped portions being of double thickness formed by `folding theV Ametal on itself.

6. A tray formed from sheet metal, coinprising a substantially latbody portion; shaped supporti-ng; Aand spacing lportions 'formed by bending thebpposite edges-oi. saidy body'portion, :offset alining portionsv at the. outer edgesafoff the 'Zshaped portions,

the space between: said aliningport-ions bee" ing slightly greater than they width oit the body portion', whereby a plurality off siieh tray's'linay be stacked one 'upon the vother and held'froin lateral displacement/f by'said aliningv portions;

GUSTAF H. ANDERSON: 

